Explanation

Written by cycleguy on May 10th, 2017

Explanation or Excuse?

It has been a few days since I last posted a blog. I could say it was dry mind disease. But that would not be true. I have a lot of stuff going around in my head these days. Some good. Some not so good. 🙂  I could say it was “I have been so busy going from this person to that person in ministry.” But that would not be true either (although there has been some of that).

Truth is: I have been sort of preoccupied. After being gone to PA to see my brother & his wife (Rob & Joy) and my elderly father, I have found life not slowing down at all. I played catch up for several days. Throw in two doctor appointments due to the bicycle wrecks; an afternoon spent driving to and from a hospital an hour away; being a husband and a father; an apparent sciatic nerve issue due to the November wreck; and barely finding time for myself, I caught myself chasing my tail.

So with everything going on, the blog took a back seat. Sorry about that. Since the staff is going to lunch soon (and I am paying for the secretary’s since I forgot to honor her on Administrative Professional Day), I want to leave you with a few quotes:

“Discernment- the ability to tell the difference between right, and almost right.”  Given to me by someone after my sermon on discernment. (Quoted by Priscilla Shirer in her Armor of God Bible study. Original quote by Spurgeon).

“I rest assured that I am loved by a holy God. His will for me is always right, good and true.”

“Sinners tend to want to author their own moral codes.”  (Both quotes by Paul David Tripp in New Morning Mercies-May 10)

Just give you something to think about and chew on. Hope you have a great day.

 

14 Comments so far ↓

  1. Jeff says:

    The first quote is just silly wish thinking to me. The second quote seems to ignore the fact that across all belief systems and cultures there is an incredible amount of consistent moral coding. It doesn’t have anything to do with any particular author of any written code. Morality is inate and not something given to us in writing by ancient superstitious, ignorant, and fearful tribesmen.

    • cycleguy says:

      Well Jeff. I’m guessing you missed the first quote about discernment and by first quote you were referring to the one about a holy God. I, of course, don’t see that as wishful thinking. I’m toast if that is not true. your comment on the latter shows your disregard for God and the “code” of the Bible. i don’t believe morality is innate. What is innate is our desire for selfishness, for sin. Given a choice men will choose to do what is “right in their own eyes.” Thus living by their own code. We have a whole generation who wants to live by no absolutes so they will do what they feel is right. In the end, you and all those who choose to think with no limits or code will find our you are wrong.

      • Jeff says:

        You are right. I skipped the first quote. You are no more toast than me. I of course do what is right in my head. That doesn’t mean I have no standards or no absolutes. It just means I inately know right from wrong. I think we get our morality from the same place. You just try to verify yours with passages from the Bible. I don’t need that verification process nor do I find people that do any more likely to have a good sense of morality than those that don’t. I know a lot of very moral athiests. Where do you think they got their code or limits. Certainly not from any ancient holy books.

      • Jeff says:

        The topic of where does morality originate is an interesting topic for a debate. It matters not to me how someone decides to live a moral and ethical life. I do it because it makes life nicer for me and I suppose for others as well. And I am guessing that my fellow primates live moral and ethical lives for the same reason. I do disregard your God, and all the other Gods, and consider the Bible fiction worth reading. But not worth getting silly about. I just get a little annoyed by people that think their religious perspective makes them any more moral than me or my atheist friends.

  2. Lisa notes says:

    Sometimes we have to put our blogs on the back burner. I hear you, Bill. Glad you got to visit with your dad, even though I’m guessing it was bittersweet with your dad’s dementia. Love those quotes. I haven’t heard the discernment one, but how accurate that is for most of us….between right and almost right.

    • cycleguy says:

      Thanks Lisa. And how different your response compared to the other one before you. The visit was bittersweet. He did not know me nor Jo, but I knew that going in. Thanks for the comment.

  3. Ceil says:

    Hi Bill! I’m sorry about your sciatic nerve problems, that can be a pain, both physically and mentally. I hope some therapy will help that situation.
    Like Lisa, I’m glad you were able to see your family, although it must be hard to see your Dad struggling so much. God bless you for hanging in there and being present to him. “Kindness to a father will not be forgotten.”
    Blessings,
    Ceil

    • cycleguy says:

      You are right Ceil. There is both. I do wish I could be more virtuous and say I’ve been there for my dad. Living 9 hours away does change some things for sure. I do have the satisfaction of knowing when no one else wanted him, i was willing to be there for him.

  4. Praying for you my brother…make sure you get a Sabbath rest!

    • cycleguy says:

      Coming tomorrow my friend. In October comes a whole week away thanks to the graciousness of a couple who are giving us a timeshare to use in Daytona. We were shooting for Destin but it couldn’t be worked out. I’ll just be glad to be away. Thanks for caring Jay.

  5. floyd says:

    Great thoughts and quotes. A rolling stone gathers no moss!

    • cycleguy says:

      Thanks Floyd. I gathered no moss but a whole bunch of bruises and other things as I rolled down the hill without my bike. 🙂

  6. With Danny’s issues, Bill, I’ve been in that same boat; won’t have a blog post up until this coming Tuesday. Glad you did take the time to let us know what’s been going on, and to give us these great quotes to ponder.
    Praying for you!